Tour bikes in 1903 weighed 14kg (31lbs).Anything less would be dangerous, crazy, and would not be in keeping with a classic bicycle, which is why in 100 more years we will still have a 6.8kg limit.Crazy yesterday, crazy today, crazy tomorrow. It's important to realize that structural, mechanical, and material engineering never change. Everything is still the same as 1903 as well as when they made the 6.8kg ruling.Long live 6.8, forever!

Actually, to me it makes some sense that they limit the weight. At some point, bicycles really do become dangerously weak and uncontrollable. If it were "all out", there would definitely be bikes pushing the edge, and then bikes breaking. A crash of one bike can jeopardize the entire peloton. Also, the philosophy of bike racing is that it is a competition between athletes, not between technologies. I know some think differently, but I like the old philosophy. I also oppose race radios. The riders should have to think for themselves.

Personally, the limit makes it affordable for me to have something that is close to best. The Weight Weenies forum is composed of many cyclists with a large discretionary income or minimal expenses. This group can afford to go below the limit with very nice gear and I am truly happy for them. I really enjoy reading about your bikes.

I have a respectable income as a mechanical engineer. I am content with that and have no complaints. However, with a family of four, I cannot afford a top level bike with the best wheels until other priorities are taken care of. I can assure you that until I win the lottery or God gives me Thor's legs, the other priorities will be staring me in the face. My point is that most people can barely afford bikes that are close to the limit as it is.

Secondly, if there was not a limit, only the biggest teams would be twinkling up mountains in master engineered Mona Lisa bikes. I can assure you that none of us would have those machines. What you want, which is to have the best and have it legal, will elude your grasp again. Be careful what you wish for.

[quote="Arky"]Personally, the limit makes it affordable for me to have something that is close to best. My point is that most people can barely afford bikes that are close to the limit as it is.

quote]

The logic that less weight = greater cost doesn't really stack up in my mind - the most expensive bike in the peloton (Pinna Dogma) is also the heaviest (and probably not even down on the limit in most instances) There is plenty of evidence on this forum that low weight probably contributes less to high cost than branding and marketing.

Given the TDF represents the pinnacle of the cycling technologically as well as athletically and is professionally funded the min weight on bikes is certainly an opportunity lost to encourage innovation that would ultimately filter down and benefit the everyday cyclist.

The TDF is first and foremost a race for cyclists, stating the obvious i know but reading some peoples comments one might assume it to be anengineering contest. If the weight rule was abolished then certain riders/teams would have bikes that were significantly lighter than others. And the argument would then start, “rider x beat rider y due to the bike”. We really don’t need that.As it stands we generally accept that the bike has a small affect on the outcome of the races, and this seems a good reason to stick to the 6.8 rule.As stated above some manufactures offerings currently would not even reach the limit.

My memory surely isn't what it used to be but as I recall it was in 1999 that Jalabert(a big ww fan) showed up at the Tour de France on a custom Giant TCR frame. I'm pretty sure the aluminum frame was said to be around 800 grams and delicate enough that it was going to be replaced after each stage. The total bike weight came in at almost exactly 14 pounds, 6.4kg. My understanding was that the UCI didn't feel this bike was safe enough to ride and they didn't want to see any catastrophic failures so just afterwards they passed the 6.8 weight rule. I guess they weren't accounting for the fact that just a few years after this bikes could certainly be built safely in that same weight range.

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